St. Leonards Square Dental Care Post-Operative Instructions
Care Instructions After Extraction or Oral Surgery
What you should expect after Extraction and Oral Surgery:
- Due to the use of local anaesthetic, your lips may be numbed. Please do not bite your lips. The numbness will wear off in around 3 hours.
- After extraction, there is generally minor bleeding which may last for a couple of hours depending on the situation.
- Symptoms like pain and swelling should be expected which may last for 2 to 3 days.
- Place the gauze pad over the bleeding area and firmly apply pressure for 30 minutes. The pressure helps to stop the bleeding.
- If there is still excessive bleeding after 30 minutes, use the sterile gauze pad supplied, and keep biting onto the gauze firmly for another 30 minutes.
- Pain killers are recommended for the first day to relieve any pain arise. Take Panadol or Nurofen if necessary.
- To reduce swelling, apply ice packs to the affected area for every 15 minutes for at least 1-2 hours (the longer the better).
- You can eat or drink as soon as the bleeding stops, but preferably using opposite side of your mouth and minimize the disruption on the wound.
- Get more rest.
- Do not drink alcohol for a week, as it will cause bleeding and can cause serious complications and delay the healing process.
- Do not smoke for 2-3 days after the extraction. Chemicals in cigarettes will delay the healing process and increases the potential risk of infection.
- Do not spit for the first 24 hours as this can dislodge the blood clot and cause a ‘dry socket’.
- Avoid touching the wound with your tongue or hands and using the opposite side of your mouth to chew/eat for the first 24 hours.
- Avoid exercise for the first 24 hours as this will cause a rise in blood pressure which will prolong bleeding.
- Avoid hot drinks/hot food for the first 24 hours, as this may cause the wound to bleed.
- Avoid spicy foods for a few days or a week after surgery.
- Avoid rinsing your mouth and gargling water or mouthwash for the first 24 hours as this may dislodge the blood clot and cause further complications.
Next Day Care
- Gently rinse, spit and gargle with salt water the day following surgery by using one teaspoon of salt in a glass of water for twice a day for a week
- Cleaning the mouth after eating and before bed is very important to minimise the possibility of infection.
- If any problems arise after the surgery, please contact us on 02 9066 0100.
- If your sutures are still present after 2 weeks, your dentist can remove them for you.
